[Moneyguy1]

Interesting article in our local paper about the demise of the conservative movement, much like the liberal movement died a few decades ago. The article said there is no clear direction today, and Republican enrollment is actually declining, Democratic affiliation is NOT growing, and the largest growing group show no party affiliation. As for political ads, I generally use the ads as a measuring stick helping me decide who I should vote for. The more strident and personal the ad, the less likely I will vote for the candidate "approving", either tacitedly or by saying nothing. This year, there seem to be far more ads concerning personal aspects of the opposing candidate, and from what I have been able to discern, those put out by the Republican party seem to be far more negative than the Dems. Not to say that the Dems are more noble, just less skilled in the art of putting together ads that border on libel, but legally stay just on the line. Ads that mock a candidate's choice of cigar, that infer a negative bias toward women, based on works of fiction, show a desperation that I hope the voters will ignore. Opiners that ridicule the opposition rather than objectively state the policies of their party are also a turnoff, as are meaningless slogans.